Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a rapid method of repairing in place, sidewalks buckled due to thermal expansion or ground movement. It is a pneumatic device and evenly supports both existing slabs of the section as they are resized and lowered back into place.
Description of Prior Art
Concrete sidewalk buckling is found in all latitudes and is commonly caused by thermal expansion, ground movement or tree roots. The conventional method of repair involves the demolition and disposal of the offending segments, then placing and finishing new concrete in the void. This involves significant resources in manpower, vehicles, equipment, and fresh concrete, as well as barricading the sidewalk pathway along with the adjoining traffic lane for several days. Typically a crew of three to nine workers along with their vehicles and sundry equipment demolish the segments and haul the resulting debris to the landfill. A concrete mixing truck then drives in to dispense fresh concrete which is finished and left to cure for another day. The process is time and labor intensive in addition to disrupting the location for days and producing debris plus other pollutants (dust, vehicle emissions, and extended noise). Users of the path are inconvenienced while the path is blocked.